The Nation

Fishing boat owners in New Bedford, Mass., the nation's richest seaport, stalked out of contract talks, dashing hopes that a 19-day-old fishermen's strike over money might be nearing an end. "I felt that no further progress could be made, so we terminated the session," said Dave Barnet, a spokesman for the Seafood Producers Assn. He added that he would meet with his clients Thursday before agreeing to new negotiations with the fishermen.